Twenty-One Lies
by Ahnyo
Summary: After taking advantage of a misunderstanding to become the Royal Scientist, Alphys realizes she can get anything she ever wanted in life by lying. But with every lie Alphys tells, she digs herself deeper into a hole. It will only be a matter of time before she is forced to reveal the truth—especially when her lies begin to concern the well-being of other monsters.
1. Entry Number 1

_An audience… with the king…_

The solemn atmosphere of the road to New Home allowed Alphys to ruminate on Asgore's request. To have been asked to meet personally with the king was an honor bestowed upon only the most exceptional of monsters—not someone with the likes of her.

Alphys didn't amount to anything: she was just a nerd who did a bit of tinkering in her spare time. Her tinkering had incidentally led to the creation of the underground's hottest celebrity, but Alphys didn't want to take too much credit for that. After all, she had only constructed Mettaton's body, not his charisma and personality. It wasn't like anyone knew she had anything to do with it, and even if they did, why would Asgore care?

As she walked, she tried to repress her memories of the call—but the scene played out in her mind again and again, every painful detail perfectly intact.

...

It wasn't unusual for Alphys to get phone calls throughout the day. In fact, Catty had called an hour ago to tell her about something she and Bratty found at the garbage dump that they thought she would like. Mettaton dialed her a lot, too, usually to request a minor repair or to inquire about the progress she had made on his new body. It had become so routine that Alphys didn't bother to check the ID.

"Hellooo?"

There was a worrying moment of silence, and then came a voice that turned Alphys to stone. "Er… howdy! This is Asgore Dreemurr." It was followed by an uncertain chuckle.

A knot had formed in Alphys throat and she could barely speak. "A-Asgore? I mean… Your M-Majesty! I th-think you have the wrong n-n-number, haha!"

Asgore continued, "Is this, uh..." He paused, as if he was reading something off a paper. "Dr. Al- _fiss_? Dr… I am sorry, I do not know how to pronounce this name."

Alphys's heart was pounding too hard for her to think anything of the king's lack of dignity. For a second she thought he really was looking for someone else, but then she was hit by the reality of just how unlikely that would be. She tried in vain to gather herself and said, "Y-yes, this is Dr. Alphys."

"Ah." There was another pause. "Did I call at a bad time? I can call again later if you would like."

"No, no! That's not it at all. I just… I was j-just…" Alphys broke into a giggle. She was making an absolute fool of herself, and in front of the king of all people! She couldn't shake the fear that, after hearing how much of a blubbering mess she was, Asgore would change his mind and hang up on her. Alphys wouldn't be able to live with the humiliation.

"Well," said Asgore, "there is something that I would like to discuss. I think it would be best if we met in my castle."

Alphys's mouth was hanging open. "O-okay," she whimpered in a pathetic voice. Alphys still hadn't the slightest idea what the king wanted with her, and she had a feeling she wasn't going to find out over the phone. "When should I, uh..."

"Come when you are ready."

Alphys nodded, only to remember that Asgore couldn't see her. Her face turned bright red. "Y-yeah! I mean, uh, all right. I'll be there as soon as possible, Your Majesty!" Alphys froze. Was she supposed to hang up now? It didn't matter; she couldn't afford to embarrass herself any further. She scrambled to end the call, her hands shaking violently. Then, Alphys threw her phone on the ground and let out a much needed scream.

Alphys stood, trembling, the king's voice ringing in her head. She listened for a moment, and then something occurred to her: it wasn't in her head. _Oh_ _. N_ _o._ She wordlessly bent over and picked up the phone. Asgore's frantic cries were penetrating the receiver: "Dr. Alphys? What happened? Are you okay? Please answer me! Dr. Alphyyys!"

"Everything's… fine," she said without bringing the phone to her ear. She didn't wait for Asgore to respond. Alphys made sure to hang up, and then broke into a sob.

...

Alphys wiped her sweaty palms on her dress. Why, oh why hadn't she just stayed home? Her regret grew stronger with every step she took, and yet something was pushing her forward. In the midst of all her anxiety was a small, yet powerful desire. Although it seemed somewhat contradictory, she longed for attention—specifically, recognition. It was a vicious cycle: her self-esteem was low because her talents were never recognized, but her low self-esteem prevented her from pursuing that recognition.

She envied Mettaton, who was naturally sure of himself. Not only that, but he was able to take on any persona he wanted. While it might have just been an act, it was a very convincing one. Alphys wished she could hide behind a guise of confidence, even if she didn't feel that way on the inside. Alas, unlike Mettaton, she was not an actor.

But now, an opportunity like none other had been thrust upon her. This was Alphys's chance to prove herself to not only the king, but possibly the entire underground as well. It was daunting, but she—or _part_ of her, at least—was up to the challenge.

Alphys's anxiety peaked. What if this wasn't about her talents at all? It was arrogant of her to make an assumption like that. Perhaps Asgore simply wanted her to run an errand. No, that couldn't be it. Why would Asgore ask a random citizen to do something for him when he had the Royal Guard at his beck and call? Alphys sifted through other possibilities, but none of them made any sense. It _had_ to be about her.

Finally, the castle came into view. At first, Alphys was relieved because her legs were killing her and she didn't know how much longer she'd be able to walk, but her stress returned when she realized how close she was to her confrontation. She stopped before she reached the gates, knowing that once she passed through, there would be no turning back. Alphys closed her eyes, gulped, and stepped forward.

The castle's interior was just as empty as the road leading to it. Alphys had been expecting a member of the Royal Guard to escort her to the king, but all that was there to guide her was a hastily drawn arrow on a sheet of paper by the stairs. The humbleness of the sign surprised her. Even when they were speaking on the phone, she had thought of Asgore as someone who was above her. Beneath his royal title, however, he was a monster just like her—a monster who made mistakes, and didn't always know what to say, and settled for mediocrity at times. Alphys felt a little less afraid.

After making her way down the stairs and through a couple of corridors, Alphys wanted nothing more than to put her feet up and rest for a bit. For someone who practically only ever left home to scavenge at the local garbage dump, Alphys's journey to the castle had been quite the endeavor. She didn't even want to think about the walk back. Using what little energy she had left, she staggered into the throne room.

Alphys gaped in awe. Surrounding Asgore's throne was a bed of beautiful flowers, unlike anything she had ever seen before. At the center of the garden, directly in front of the throne, was a flower that was even bigger and more stunning than all the others. It seemed as though Asgore cherished that one in particular.

 _Oh, that's right! Asgore!_ Alphys had been too fixated on the plants to notice that the king was not in the room. Her heart sank. After all that, Asgore didn't even show up? Alphys put her head down and sighed. "Your Majesty?" she called, though her voice wasn't very loud. "Are you there? It's me, Dr. Alphys..."

A large figure appeared from the door at the other end of the room. It was a furry, goat-like monster with a beard the color of the flowers in the garden. His massive form was draped in purple robes, and between his horns sat a crown. In spite of his size, his movements were controlled, and he took extra care not to spill the contents of the tray in his arms. He gave off an air of nobility, but his features were gentle and kind. "Oh, hello there! I was afraid you were not going to come, especially after… well, you do appear to be fine."

Alphys stepped back as his shadow fell over her, feeling very small and insecure. She had seen Asgore on TV plenty of times, but the tiny screen didn't do him justice. He was much grander and more imposing in person… and _handsomer_. Alphys knew she was blushing. She hoped Asgore wouldn't notice.

Asgore frowned when she didn't say anything. He set the tray on the ground. "I thought I'd make us some tea. Would you like a cup?"

"Um..." Alphys's eyes darted from Asgore, to the teapot and cups on the tray, and then back to Asgore. She felt like it would be impolite to refuse, and she had worked up quite a thirst, anyway. "Yes p-please, Your Majesty."

"Please call me Mr. Dreemurr," Asgore said as he poured her a cup. "I apologize if it is a little cold." He handed it to Alphys, only for it to slip out of her claws and shatter against the ground.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" Alphys wailed, pressing her hands against her cheeks. "I'm such a klutz, oh god..."

Asgore gave a calm smile. "It's okay, Dr. Alphys. I am not upset." He watched as the spilled tea was soaked up by the dirt. "That tea was made with the flowers in this garden. I suppose it is going back home now."

Alphys sniffled and stared at the mess, too mortified to say anything.

"You can have my cup if you would like," Asgore offered, holding up the remaining teacup.

Alphys shook her head. "N-no thanks. I don't want to b-break any more of your things. I'm not really that thirsty, anyway."

The king dipped his head in acceptance. After taking a sip of his tea, he said, "You are probably wondering why I asked you to come here. Or perhaps you already know."

Alphys's heart was beginning to race. This was it. "No idea, Your— _Mr. Dreemurr_."

"It was brought to my attention that you created that robot on TV. What was its name again?"

"M-Mettaton?" blurted Alphys.

"Yes, that was it. _Memettaton_. Forgive me, I am not good with names."

"It's just Mettaton," she corrected. "What… what is it about Mettaton?"

"Oh." Asgore took another swig of tea. "I was also informed that Mettaton is not an ordinary robot. Is it true that Mettaton has a soul?"

"W-well, yes. I g-guess you could say that he d-d-does have a soul." Alphys wasn't sure where the king was going with this.

There was a sparkle in his eyes. "That... is incredible. Do you understand the magnitude of your discovery? You are a gifted young woman, Dr. Alphys."

She blinked. "Wait… what?" As good as the praise felt, Alphys was utterly confused.

"Come with me. There is something I would like you to see." He turned and headed toward the door on the far end of the room. Alphys hesitated for a second, and then followed him inside.

Alphys gasped. Before her was an endless passage made of bands of magic that seemed to bend and shift in the light. It was hypnotizing to look at, and Alphys had to pry her eyes away to keep from losing herself in the void.

Asgore said, "I have a feeling you know what this is."

"The… Barrier," Alphys breathed. Every monster knew the story of the Barrier, but it felt surreal to be seeing it with her own eyes. Knowing that she was so close, and yet so far away from the surface world sent a shiver down her spine. She was so caught up in the moment that she seemed to have forgotten that Asgore was showing her the Barrier for a reason.

"In order to destroy the Barrier, I need the power of seven human souls. I have amassed six of them so far. They are here with me now."

Alphys watched as seven canisters rose from the ground. Each of them contained a swirling, glowing ball of energy forming the shape of a heart—except for one, which was empty. Alphys's sense of wonder was beginning to wear off, and suddenly, she had a bad feeling.

"I do not know when I will obtain a seventh human soul. It could take months. Years. Or it is possible that I will never find the final soul. I have tasked my Royal Guard with hunting for humans that have fallen underground, but it is all up to luck. It is a miracle that I have managed to collect even one soul." Asgore gave Alphys a hard stare. "But you. Using your knowledge of souls… you could change this. You could find a way to _create_ a human soul. With your help, freedom might finally be within reach. That is why I would like to bestow upon you the honor of serving as my Royal Scientist."

Everything clicked. It was true that she had built the robot Mettaton, and it was true that Mettaton had a soul—but that was because Mettaton was being inhabited by a ghost! Alphys hadn't created a soul, nor had she discovered a way to separate a monster's soul from its physical being. She didn't even know anything about souls! All she had done was put together a body for an incorporeal monster.

Alphys felt sick. It had all been a misunderstanding. Her journey was over; it was time for her to tell Asgore the truth and go back home. She had been so close to getting the recognition she so desperately craved, just like how she was standing so close to the surface world. In both cases, there was a barrier blocking her way. While the Barrier could be unlocked with the power of seven human souls, it occurred to Alphys that the other, metaphorical barrier required only the belief of a single person—Asgore.

It didn't matter, Alphys realized, if she was actually capable of what Asgore believed she could do. He had already presented her with the opportunity to assume a prestigious position. All she had to do was say yes, and the rest was history. Just holding the title of Royal Scientist was bound to earn her some respect and recognition, and it wasn't like she planned on just having it for show. Alphys vowed to sincerely dedicate herself to whatever tasks Asgore asked for her to complete. She may not have known a thing about souls, but that didn't mean she couldn't learn. She was a smart, capable monster, and maybe—just maybe—she would discover something worthwhile.

Part of her knew it would be wrong. What if the king found out she was lying? Then again, Alphys had technically never lied at all. It would be Asgore's own fault for jumping to conclusions and not making his inquiries specific enough. Alphys tried to imagine other potential consequences of her choice. Nothing she could think of seemed bad enough to convince her that it wasn't worth giving it a shot.

 _I'm going to do it,_ Alphys decided. _I'm going to fake it till I make it._ She turned to face Asgore, who was patiently awaiting a response. Alphys declared, loud and clear, "I would be honored to be your Royal Scientist, Mr. Dreemurr."

When Alphys saw Asgore grin, she realized she had made the wrong choice. His grin may have been genuine, but the reason he was grinning was not. This was what Alphys was going to have to put up with: recognition she didn't deserve for things she had never done. There was nothing for her to be proud of. She had consigned herself to a life of lies; a performance in which she was the only actor. But she wasn't an actor. She was Dr. Alphys—a geek, a coward, a liar, and now, a Royal Scientist.

...

 **ENTRY NUMBER 1  
** _This is it. Time to do what the King has asked me to do.  
I will create the power to free us all.  
I will unleash the power of the SOUL._


	2. Entry Number 2

"Oh my god. What have I gotten myself into?"

Alphys sat with her elbows on her desk, cradling her head in her hands. She had been staring at her computer screen for half an hour, but hadn't once touched the keyboard or mouse. It wasn't like she could look up what she needed to know on the Internet; this was something literally no one knew anything about. Alphys had no idea how to start.

She wracked her brain, trying to compile what little information she knew about souls. It occurred to Alphys that she had never seen a soul prior to meeting with Asgore, whether it be monster or human. Simply looking at the king's collection hadn't given Alphys much of an idea what souls were made of. She hadn't been able to tell what state of matter they were in—they seemed to bear qualities of all four—or if they even possessed any physical matter at all. If that were the case, they would be infinitely more difficult for Alphys to understand.

 _Maybe I could ask Asgore to l_ _end me_ _one so I can study it,_ Alphys thought. _No… what am I thinking? There's no way he'd entrust me with a human soul!_ Alphys had to stop and remind herself that she was the Royal Scientist and Asgore was convinced she knew more about souls than anyone in the underground. Perhaps it would be possible after all. Alphys was still hesitant; not because she doubted Asgore, but because she doubted herself. The thought of handling something so powerful and priceless scared her. Alphys hadn't been able to hold Asgore's teacup without breaking it; she didn't want to think about what would happen if she got a hold of one of his souls.

 _Asgore thinks I can make souls._ Alphys didn't need to know anything about souls to think the idea was ridiculous. Monsters' souls were attuned to their beings; the thought of them existing on their own was inconceivable. However, human souls, as Alphys had seen, were different. What was keeping them from turning to dust? Admittedly, Alphys did not know a lot about humans, despite her interest in their culture. Her beloved anime were works of fiction that shed little light on the true nature of humans.

Asgore had specifically mentioned that he needed the _power_ of seven human souls to break through the Barrier. Did that mean something equivalent in power to a human soul would suffice? How would one go about measuring the strength of a soul? Maybe Alphys was reading too much into what Asgore had said, but yet again, in order to assess her theory, she would need to perform an analysis on a human soul.

Alphys sighed. It was inescapable. If she wanted to advance in her research, she would have to have access to a human soul. She decided she would wait a day or two before contacting Asgore about borrowing one. _In the meantime, maybe I could examine the souls of monsters. I need to find what makes them different from the souls of humans._ Alphys knew she wouldn't be able to separate a monster's soul from its body, but what was to say there wasn't a way to observe the soul of a living monster?She could use some kind of special X-ray, or, if she had to, perform a vivisection. There were plenty of possibilities to look into, but Alphys was getting a headache. She hastily typed up what she had mulled over, wanting to make it seem as though she had actually gotten something done.

 **ENTRY NUMBER 2  
** _The barrier is locked by SOUL power.  
Unfortunately, this power cannot be recreated artificially.  
SOUL power can only be derived from what was once living.  
So, to create more, we will have to use what we have now.  
The SOULs of monsters._

Alphys had gotten way ahead of herself. She still had a lot of belongings to unpack, and she hardly knew her way around her new home: the Hotland Laboratory.

Asgore had given her the keys to the facility, saying it had all the resources she would need to conduct her research. He claimed it had belonged to the previous Royal Scientist, which struck Alphys as strange. She couldn't remember there ever being another Royal Scientist. She had asked Asgore about the scientist, and while he was adamant there had in fact been one, he hadn't been able to recall any details about them. Alphys figured they must have worked for him a long time ago.

The Laboratory seemed to have remained untouched after all those years. Alphys was unable to find anything to identify the former owner or any of their personal belongings, but other than that, it seemed as though they had merely stopped existing one day. It was tidy and everything was in order, though some of the technology was decidedly outdated. Contrary to what Asgore had said, the Laboratory didn't contain any special tools or assets she could utilize in her studies. She would have been just as well off working from home, but Alphys didn't want to complain. It was much more spacious than her old place, at least.

This, Asgore said, was her home now. Alphys hadn't given herself time to say goodbye to Catty and Bratty. She didn't want to have to explain why she was leaving, and she didn't want to hear them shower her with congratulations and wishes of good luck. They were some of the only friends she had, but Alphys figured it would be best to leave them in the past. Her esteemed position would get her all sorts of friends, probably.

Alphys patted her hands together. "Let's see how long it takes me to wreck this place," she murmured to herself.

She had already moved the old scientist's computer aside to make room for her own. She didn't want to throw it out quite yet; even though she felt it would be wrong to rummage through the person's files, there was a chance they contained information relevant to what she was researching. Alphys reminded herself to take a look later on.

Next to her computer desk was her mini fridge, which was freshly stocked with things she needed to fuel her research—namely soda and a variety of unhealthy snacks. Alphys had designated the downstairs portion of the Laboratory as her workspace, and those were about the only things she needed. It looked almost professional, if not a bit lacking. If Asgore or some other important person paid her a visit, they would think Alphys had everything totally under control.

The second floor was a different story. The Laboratory was fitted with a pair of escalators, which made moving her things upstairs much less of a hassle. Alphys shoved her bookcases into a corner, leaving the chore of organizing her manga on the shelves for another time. She set up her folding bed, nightstand, and wardrobe on the opposite side of the floor, and her workbench in the center of the room. The Laboratory was finally starting to feel a bit like home.

By the time Alphys had finished arranging her furniture, her back was aching. She only had a few boxes left to unpack, most of which contained posters, figurines, and other anime paraphernalia. As much as she wanted to take a break, she knew she'd start stressing out again if she didn't keep herself busy.

Alphys was struck by a pang of guilt when she opened the box containing what she had completed of Mettaton's new body, which amounted to little more than a headless torso. This was the body she had promised to build him long ago; she had only offered him his current, simpler form to tide him over while she worked on it. She had told Mettaton that it would take her a long time to finish the robot, and while that was true, she could have had it done by now if she hadn't procrastinated. Alphys had plenty of free time before she became the Royal Scientist, but she dedicated most of it to lounging around and watching cartoons. Now that she had a job to do, she wouldn't be able to put aside a lot of time to work on her project even if she wanted to.

She glumly closed the box and shoved it under her workbench. That was another lie. While she had the skills needed to build Mettaton the body of his dreams, she should have considered that she was not willing to invest so much effort into doing so. She should have been honest with Mettaton and told him that his rectangular body was all she was able to make.

But no—she promised to fulfill his lavish fantasies. She promised to let him live out his life in a body he thought was only possible in his wildest dreams. Those promises were made of empty words, so that was all they were: fantasies and dreams. Whenever Mettaton called to ask how his body was coming along, Alphys would tell him she was making good progress and it would be ready soon. She refused to let him see it, saying it was a surprise. His calls were becoming more and more frequent, and every time he spoke, he sounded a little more exhausted. He was growing impatient, and Alphys knew he had every right to feel that way.

Alphys truly valued Mettaton as a friend, even though they had grown distant after Mettaton went off to become a star. They had little in common other than their interest in humans, and yet they struck up a bond almost immediately. Mettaton had always been honest with her, which was how she had learned he desired a body of his own. It hurt Alphys that she couldn't be honest in return.

Seeing what was inside the next box didn't make Alphys feel any better. Amongst her collection of catgirl figurines was a rolled-up poster that had gotten bumped-up during transport. On the front was a picture of Mettaton basking in a spotlight, as he loved to do. The back had been signed: "Thank you for making my dreams come true — MTT".

It should have cheered Alphys up; she was the one who had helped Mettaton become a star, so she had at least done _something_ for him—but that something wasn't enough. Alphys couldn't help but think that Mettaton, at least in part, was thanking her ahead of time for the body she had yet to complete. One of Mettaton's dreams had yet to come true, and Alphys didn't know if it ever would.

Part of her wanted to hide the poster, but she didn't want to make it seem as though she had given up. She searched for a place to display it, only to realize that she didn't have anything to hang it up with.

Sliding the poster under her arm, Alphys marched over to her workbench and fumbled through her tools. She managed to find a roll of duct tape, but that didn't seem very adequate. _Ah, shoot. Maybe there's something I can use in that closet downstairs._

Next to one of the escalators was a storage closet—or at least what Alphys assumed was a storage closet. She had yet to look inside, figuring she'd get around to it sooner or later. Now that she was starting to accept that the building was hers, she was getting curious about it. She doubted she would be able to find what she was looking for, but it was enough of an excuse to get her to look inside.

Alphys took the escalator down and shambled over to the closet. As she reached to open it, she heard the doors at the entrance of the Laboratory slide open. Alphys flinched and dropped the poster as Mettaton burst in and careened toward her at breakneck speeds. She shielded herself with her arms, bracing herself for a crash. "Mettaton, no…!"

"I HEARD THE NEWS, DARLING!" Alphys, still tense, lowered her hands to find that Mettaton had stopped in front of her. He was holding a bag of brightly colored confetti, which he sprinkled over her head with glee. "YOU'RE THE NEW ROYAL SCIENTIST! THAT… PROBABLY MEANS SOMETHING, I'M SURE. ANYWAY, CONGRATULATIONS!"

Alphys stared blankly at Mettaton through her confetti-coated glasses, still recovering from her initial shock. "How did… how did you know that—"

He continued to flick brightly colored pieces of paper at her face. "ALPHYS, DARLING, THIS IS HUGE! EVERYONE KNOWS! AND IF THEY DON'T, THEY WILL SOON! BECAUSE IT'S THE SUBJECT OF MY SPECIAL LIVE REPORT! SMILE FOR THE CAMERA, BABY!"

Alphys gasped and stumbled backwards when she looked up and found a mic and camera in her face. So much was going on that she hadn't even noticed the film crew that had followed Mettaton in. "Is that… GAH! N-no, turn it off! Stop recording!"

Mettaton pushed Alphys out of the way of the camera. "WELL, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. IT SEEMS THE NEW ROYAL SCIENTIST… IS ALSO A ROYAL _SHY_ ENTIST." He coughed. "STAY TUNED! WE'LL BE BACK WITH ANOTHER GREAT PROGRAM THAT WILL KEEP YOU ON THE EDGE OF YOUR SEATS AFTER THIS COMMERCIAL BREAK!"

Alphys was flooded with relief when Mettaton's crew lowered their equipment, but her relief was short-lived. _I was still on TV… everyone saw me. Oh god…_

Mettaton was staring at the ground in disappointment. "ROYAL… SHYENTIST. DESPICABLE." He shook his fist at his crew. "WHY DID YOU LET THIS HAPPEN? YOU HAD ONE JOB! … IT DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS, BUT SOMEONE HAS TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE! GO, GO, I'LL DEAL WITH YOU LATER." He shooed them out the door before turning to Alphys. "AAANYWHO…!"

Alphys weaved her fingers together. "Mettaton, next time could… could you maybe warn me before you do something like that? … Whatever that was."

"SURE, SURE," Mettaton said, seemingly in a hurry. Something had caught his attention. He moved closer to Alphys and swiped the poster she had dropped off of the floor. A heart flashed on his screen as he unfurled it. "OH, ALPHYS! I'M SO TOUCHED THAT YOU STILL HAVE MY POSTER AFTER ALL THIS TIME! … I'M LESS TOUCHED THAT YOU THREW IT ON THE FLOOR LIKE A PIECE OF GARBAGE, BUT YOU HAVE MY FORGIVENESS." He drew a finger across his screen, pretending to wipe away a tear. "OH YES, THIS WAS FROM MY TV PREMIERE—THE MOMENT MY DREAMS BECAME REALITY!"

Alphys blinked. "So, um… Is. Is there any reason you came here? Or, uh… any reason why you're still here?"

"WHAT?" Mettaton put the poster down and wrapped his tube-like arm around her shoulder. "DO YOU NOT APPRECIATE MY COMPANY?"

Alphys tried to squirm away. "No! No, it's not that. I just, um..."

Mettaton backed off. "IT'S BECAUSE YOU'RE THE ROYAL SCIENTIST NOW. YOU MUST BE UP TO YOUR NECK IN WORK. I UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY! I, TOO, AM EXTREMELY BUSY. IN FACT… OH MY. I HOPE THEY KEEP THOSE COMMERCIALS RUNNING."

"Uh… okay. Yeah," mumbled Alphys.

"I REALLY SHOULD BE HEADING BACK TO THE STUDIO." Mettaton rolled toward the door, only to stop and spin around. "BUT! ALPHYS. EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE BUSY, I HOPE YOU CAN STILL FIND TIME TO WORK ON MY BODY." His tone was uncharacteristically forlorn.

Alphys felt weak. She had been hoping Mettaton wouldn't bring that up, but it was inevitable. Now would be the perfect time to confess it wasn't possible, but Alphys couldn't bring herself to do it. She couldn't bear to see the look of betrayal on Mettaton's face when she took back everything she had promised, despite how Mettaton did not actually have a face on which she could see said look of betrayal.

Alphys didn't want to be seen as a liar or a fake, even though she knew she was one on the inside. She could keep hiding behind a wall of false competence and commitment, just as she had when she was confronted by Asgore. Unlike Asgore, however, Alphys didn't know how long Mettaton would continue to believe her.

It wasn't like she had another choice. "Don't worry, Mettaton. I'll… I'll make sure to work on it whenever I can."

Mettaton didn't respond for a second. Then, he slowly bowed in acknowledgment. "ALL RIGHT. I'LL BE GOING NOW… TOODLES!" Alphys watched as he slipped out the door, feeling very alone.


	3. Entry Number 3

The commotion nearly made Alphys forget what she had been doing. As she returned to the closet, she mulled over what Mettaton had said. _Is it true? Does the entire underground know I'm the Royal Scientist?_ Alphys had met with Asgore in private, and, in spite of her anxiety, Alphys appreciated how he had taken time off to speak with her face-to-face. She almost felt betrayed that he had turned the matter into a public affair. Now, everyone knew who she was even though she didn't have anything to show for her title yet. Alphys was under even more pressure to succeed.

She took a deep breath. Alphys could lock herself inside her lab and pretend those people didn't exist—the only things that mattered were her and her research. But Alphys couldn't set aside her nagging fear of their expectations. It was easy for Alphys to get others to play along with her lies, but nigh impossible to convince herself.

Not wanting to dwell on the thought, Alphys fumbled in search of a knob or handle. When she couldn't find one, she gave the closet door a shove. It didn't budge. Both frustrated and confused, she stepped back, and only then did she notice a large button on the wall. She pressed it without thinking. The door creaked as it clambered open, as if it hadn't done so in a long time.

 _That's unusual. It's almost like…_ Alphys peered into the tiny room, catching sight of another set of buttons. _… An elevator?_ She couldn't recall seeing a counterpart on the second floor, and it seemed superfluous when there was already a pair of escalators. Perhaps the elevator had been scrapped during the building's development and wasn't fully installed—or perhaps it went _down_.

Intrigued, Alphys stepped inside. She tapped another button, half-expecting nothing to happen. The door shuddered and closed. When the elevator didn't move, Alphys jumped to the conclusion that she was trapped. She panicked and mashed the button until she was overcome by a feeling of lightness. Alphys let her arm slump to her side as the elevator descended. Anticipation emerged from her fright when she realized she had yet to explore part of her new home.

The elevator thudded to a stop and the door peeled away to reveal a layer of inky darkness. Alphys found herself wanting to stay in the nice, lit-up elevator. She lingered there for a moment, and then reluctantly pressed forward. Using the light from the elevator, she managed to locate what appeared to be a switch. She flipped it, but the place remained dark. "Useless..." Alphys muttered, fishing her cellphone out of her pocket. She activated her flashlight app and set forth.

Stretching out in front of her was a long hallway. It had a dank, musty atmosphere and seemed to have fallen into disrepair. The walls, which had been fitted with faintly buzzing CRT monitors, were cracked and stained. Pipes leaked overhead, forming grimy pools on the tiled floor. The air smelled of mold and decay.

Alphys recoiled in disgust, not looking forward to maintaining the decrepit place. She lifted her tail as she awkwardly shuffled past the puddles, again trying to push her impending responsibilities to the back of her mind. _God, how big is this basement?_ Alphys wondered as she turned a corner and entered a room with two more hallways branching off of it.

On each side of the room was a fake plant that would have been long dead if it were real. Next to a locked set of steel doors was a vending machine, which Alphys approached curiously. She peered into the foggy glass, surprised and somewhat sickened that the machine still contained packages of snacks. Alphys pulled a coin out of her pocket and inserted it in the slot. A bag of Popato Chisps dropped down. She retrieved it and examined the packaging, searching for an expiration date in hopes of gaining a rough idea of when the building was last in use. When she couldn't find one, she ripped the bag open, gave it a wary sniff, and popped a chip into her mouth. It tasted mostly normal.

Alphys munched on the chips as she studied the locked doors. They were fitted with four colored dials, three of which were lit up. Alphys noticed that the colors corresponded with the keys Asgore had given her, which she had guessed were just spares. Strangely, there were no locks or keyholes in sight. She moved on, though she couldn't help but ponder what was behind the doors and what she needed to do to open them. _It's probably another elevator that will take me to an even more twisted labyrinth,_ Alphys thought. _I wonder if t_ _hose doors are_ _mechanized. Maybe I can hack my way in._

She took the path to the right, eventually finding herself in a room full of unkempt hospital beds. _This must have been what Asgore was talking about when he said this place had all the resources I'd need,_ Alphys realized, adjusting the sheets on one of the beds. This old, deteriorating basement was the _true_ laboratory, whereas the above-ground portion was merely a front—not unlike how the image Alphys projected belied her crumbling self-esteem. But even though the place was in ruins, it was not a total loss. Amongst the rot and disrepair were useful materials and accommodations. It wouldn't be easy, and it wouldn't be fun, but with some effort and resolve, the laboratory could be salvaged.

Alphys was overwhelmed by the size of the facility, mostly because she had no way of knowing how big it was in its entirety. Her limited source of light certainly didn't help make the place seem less scary and maze-like. Alphys wasn't sure if she would be able to find her way back. She glanced at the empty bag of Popato Chisps in her hands, suddenly afraid of starving to death.

Alphys made her way into a room containing an old TV and a couple of bookcases. She scrambled over to them, nearly tripping in the process. "Yes..." She pawed through the books excitedly, sifting through reference materials and anthologies of scientific articles. Triumphantly, she yanked a book off the shelf. "Yes!" In her hands was a copy of what was likely the underground's most exhaustive source of information on souls, which had been transcribed from a series of ancient plaques.

Alphys sat on the floor and opened the book, quickly scanning through the introduction.

 _Love, hope, compassion…  
This is what people say monster SOULs are made of.  
But the absolute nature of "SOUL" is unknown.  
After all, humans have proven their SOULs don't need these things to exist._

She narrowed her eyes. Love, hope, and compassion were immaterial constructs bound to a person's conscience. Did that mean souls were metaphysical in nature? Alphys hoped not, and the second line of the passage provided her some validation. Maybe souls were merely augmented with love, hope, and compassion. Was the possession of those traits what separated monster souls from the souls of humans? Were those qualities a detriment to monsters in some way? How could a monster rid itself of them? Alphys flipped the page, her mind buzzing with questions.

 _Why did the humans attack?  
Indeed, it seemed that they had nothing to fear.  
Humans are unbelievably strong.  
It would take the SOUL of nearly every monster…  
_… _just to equal the power of a single human SOUL._

Alphys was taken aback. How could a human soul be that much more powerful than a monster's? Were emotions such as love really that inhibiting? Alphys carefully reread the introduction. Human souls didn't _need_ love, hope, and compassion to exist—they did not necessarily have an absence of those traits. In any case, the composition of human souls must have been radically different.

 _But humans have one weakness.  
Ironically, it is the strength of their SOUL.  
Its power allows it to persist outside of the human body, even after death.  
If a monster defeats a human, they can take its SOUL.  
A monster with a human SOUL…  
A horrible beast with unfathomable power._

Unfortunately, the passage did not specify what allowed human souls to carry on without bodies. That was what Alphys needed to discover, once she asked Asgore for permission to study his captive souls. Once she identified the cause, she could potentially reproduce it artificially in the soul of a monster—once she figured out how to work with monsters' souls, anyway.

She skipped forward until she found another related passage.

 _This power has no counter.  
Indeed, a human cannot take a monster's SOUL.  
When a monster dies, its SOUL disappears.  
And an incredible power would be needed to take the SOUL of a living monster._

Alphys felt conflicted. On one hand, the passage confirmed it was possible to access a monster's soul—but the "incredible power" it spoke of probably rivaled that of a human soul. Would Asgore be willing to sacrifice one of his souls for Alphys's research? If her experiment was successful, she would be able to recreate the soul's power, so it wouldn't matter if it was lost in the process. However, if Alphys failed—which was a much more likely outcome—the king would be short another invaluable soul. There had to be another way.

 _There is only one exception.  
The SOUL of a special species of monster called a "Boss Monster".  
A Boss Monster's SOUL is strong enough to persist after death…  
If only for a few moments.  
A human could absorb this SOUL.  
But this has never happened.  
And now it never will._

It looked promising for a second, but Alphys's hopes were dashed when she realized that the only Boss Monster she knew of was Asgore. She couldn't experiment on the king! The rest of the book focused on the war between humans and monsters, which was of no use to Alphys. She summoned her dimensional box and stored it inside, and then typed up an entry on her phone.

 **ENTRY NUMBER 3  
** _But extracting a SOUL from a living monster would require incredible power…  
Besides being impractical, doing so would instantly destroy the SOUL's host.  
And unlike the persistent SOULs of humans…  
The SOULs of most monsters disappear immediately upon death.  
If only I could make a monster's SOUL last...  
_

Before Alphys resumed browsing the shelves in search of additional information, she happened upon a device mounted on the wall. In the middle was a keyhole banded with a strip of yellow. Alphys plugged in her matching key and twisted it. It fit, but nothing seemed to happen. She shrugged and returned to the bookcase, hoping she wouldn't regret whatever she had done later.

On the bottom shelf, she spotted a messily folded sheet of paper jammed between two books about the CORE. Alphys pushed the books aside as she attempted to remove it, taking care not to rip it. It took her a moment to figure out what she was looking at—blueprints for an odd-looking machine. The writing was illegible, but the diagrams were easy for her to understand. She did a double take when her eyes landed on an illustration of the finished product: inside of the machine was the unmistakable shape of a human soul.

"What… is this?" Alphys gasped. Since she couldn't read the architect's notes, she was left to speculate the purpose of the machine. Was it a tool to study souls? Did it _create_ souls? No matter its function, it was bound to be relevant to Alphys's research.

Her gaze flashed across the blueprints. _I could build this! I could totally do this!_ Engineering was Alphys's field of expertise, and realizing that she would be able to put her talents to use made her heart swell with joy. If this was what being the Royal Scientist entailed, then maybe she was suited to the position after all. For once, she felt confident.

It was possible that the machine had already been built and she hadn't come across it yet, but Alphys wanted to put it together from scratch anyway. That way, she could become more knowledgeable about the inner workings of the machine and uncover what it was supposed to do. Still, she would present the blueprints to Asgore the next time they met to see if they were at all familiar to him.

As she went to put them away in her dimensional box, she noticed her phone was running low on battery. The flashlight app was sucking the life out of it, but if she turned it off, the phone wouldn't be any better than dead. Alphys cursed at herself, wishing she had waited to read the book until she was upstairs. If she managed to get out, she would make fixing the lights her number one priority.

She rushed out of the room. _I came from the left hallway, right? Well, it's the right hallway, now that I'm facing this_ _way_ _… but it's not the right hallway! It's the wrong hallway!_ Alphys clutched her head and let out a whimper. She was lost.

She picked a direction and ran, passing by monitors she was pretty sure she had seen before—then again, there were screens everywhere, installed in each and every wall. What were those monitors for, anyway? Alphys didn't have enough time to care. She spun on her heel upon entering a room full of fans, keeping a watchful eye on her phone's dwindling battery. It was a time bomb and her heartbeat was ticking away.

The sight of the hospital beds rekindled Alphys's faith. She wasn't far off now. Alphys drew upon her last reserves of adrenaline to steer herself into the vending machine room, but she wasn't fast enough. Her phone went black. "No..." Alphys moaned, kneading the touch screen with her claws as if she were trying to wake it up. She glumly stuffed her phone into her pocket and stuck her arms out in front of her, preparing to feel her way through the darkness.

The colored dials on the steel door were bright enough so Alphys could see them, but not bright enough that they produced any light. Seeing that the yellow dial was no longer dark made her recall the device with the keyhole. Alphys couldn't fathom why the lock was so far away from the door, but she accepted it. The doors pulled apart as she approached, causing light to pour into the room. Alphys blinked as her eyes adjusted, and let out a sputtering noise when she could see what was waiting for her beyond the doors. "You've… gotta be kidding me..."

It was another elevator.

Alphys was too exhausted to question where it would take her. She hauled herself inside, slapped the button, and waited. This time, she could feel the elevator carrying her up. She hoped it was a magic elevator that would somehow teleport her back to the upper level of the Laboratory, but she doubted it would be that simple. Alphys wasn't ready to trek through whatever lay on the other side of the elevator, and the worst part was that she couldn't call for help.

When the elevator arrived at its destination, Alphys was struck with déjà vu. It had brought her to a long, gray road framed by a distant city skyline. The sight filled her with anxiety of a different kind—like that of a peasant before a king. Her memories came rushing back to her. This was the road to New Home.

"But… how," Alphys mouthed, staring toward the castle. She supposed it made sense for the Royal Scientist's workplace to connect to the residence of the king, but in that moment, it was hard to believe. Alphys let out a sigh. _Well… since I'm already here, I might as well go ask Asgore about the human souls._


	4. Entry Number 4

Alphys felt uncomfortable barging into the castle without any prior warning. Even though she was the Royal Scientist, it would still be rude to show up uninvited. She would have called ahead of time, but that was no longer an option. Thankfully, Asgore seemed to be a pretty understanding guy.

She headed directly to the throne room, but again, Asgore was nowhere to be found. Alphys called for him, waited, and then called again. There was no response. She crept to the room in the back and stopped, mesmerized by the Barrier. She shifted her feet as she pried her attention away from the magical wall and looked at the ground, knowing the six human souls were hidden in the floor. It would be so easy to snatch them up if she had malicious intent.

Alphys left the throne room, deciding to look for Asgore upstairs. The upper level resembled a simple, modest home with white walls and a pale wood floor. A number of glass vases containing the same golden flowers that grew in the garden were displayed around the house. Asgore must have liked those flowers a lot.

Propped in front of one of the vases was a small photo frame with an old family picture. Alphys picked it up to get a closer look. Asgore had his arm wrapped around his former wife, Toriel, pulling her in for an embrace. They were both smiling, and Asgore in particular was radiating warmth. Asgore had been cheerful and amiable when Alphys met with him, but there had been something strained and a little contrived about the way he presented himself, as though he was wearing a mask. Alphys had been able to sense his underlying desperation and fatigue. In the moment of time forever preserved in the photograph, however, Asgore was truly happy.

Standing in front of the king and queen were two smaller figures holding bouquets of flowers—their children. Asriel, their biological son, was smiling sweetly, while their adopted child—a human—was hiding their face. Their innocence warmed Alphys's heart, but she was filled with a different feeling when she remembered both of them had passed away. She imagined hearing their giggling voices and their little feet thudding on the floor as they ran down the hall, and it hit her just how lonely the castle had become. What was once home to a lively young family now only held memories, and a sad man trying to come to terms with his grief.

Although the photograph made Alphys's heart ache, she couldn't look away from the human child. She couldn't help but wonder if one of the souls Asgore had shown her had belonged to them. Then, she began to wonder about the identities of the other human souls. They had all been people just like her. They had led their own individual lives, and carried their own thoughts and beliefs and memories. They had their own friends and families, and they had probably been loved. Were they still remembered, or had they been lost to time and forgotten? Did they know what they were? Could they think? Could they feel? Alphys shivered. It seemed like hell.

Those were what she would be working with. They were not objects or materials, but the very embodiment of peoples' beings. When Alphys worked with machines, she could at least find comfort in knowing she only used inorganic parts. If she made a mistake, those parts could be replaced. Experimenting on souls or living monsters would be different. Not only were they utterly irreplaceable, but they belonged to people—and were the essence of who they were.

In order to succeed, Alphys would have to think of her subjects in the same way she thought of machines. In a way, that was essentially what they were. They were composed of different parts and circuits and mechanisms, but they happened to be made of magic rather than metal. Their emotions and attributes—all the things that made them "people"—were the result of their programming, not unlike the functions of machines. Even though she had been conditioned to feel empathy, deep inside she knew that to be the truth. She would have to teach herself to repress those feelings. There was no room for ethics in Alphys's research—or else no room for failure.

She set the picture down and resumed looking for Asgore, but it didn't appear he was home. Alphys would just have to wait. She seated herself at the dining room table, noticing that three of the chairs—two of which were small—had not been occupied in a long time. Sitting by herself in Asgore's chair reminded Alphys of how she too was lonely. She had cut herself off from most of her friends in order to become the Royal Scientist, and her few relationships that remained were on the ropes. But unlike Asgore, she had brought her isolation upon herself. She wasn't deserving of pity.

By choosing not to interact with others, Alphys was preparing herself for the demands of her work in more ways than one. With no friends to relate to and care about, it would be easier for her to see people in a different perspective. It felt wrong, though. Alphys became the Royal Scientist to gain recognition—but recognition was obtained by appealing to others. If Alphys saw people as something else, would their recognition of her hold the same weight? Alphys had turned the matter into something entirely about herself, and seemed to have forgotten what she had been striving for in the first place.

Alphys kept thinking back to the shy human child in the picture. That human had lived in the castle. Other than the photograph, Alphys wondered if they had left anything behind—something demonstrative of the nature of humans, perhaps. _No,_ Alphys scolded herself. I _t's bad enough that I'm here as is. I can't go looting through the belongings of Asgore's dead kid!_ Being investigative had helped Alphys find a lot of critical information earlier, but exploring her own property, even if it had once belonged to someone else, was much different from rummaging through another person's house without their permission.

Alphys's curiosity was keeping her drowsiness at bay. Slowly, she pushed her chair back and rose to her feet. "I'll be quick," she assured herself out loud. "I'll just look. I won't touch anything. Un… unless it's important to my research. But I won't make a mess! Asgore doesn't have to know… Asgore won't know..." She let out a nervous laugh as she tottered down the hall.

Alphys nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw something move in the distance. Realizing it was her reflection in a mirror on the wall, she relaxed. Alphys approached it just to be sure, and cringed when she got a better look at her reflection. She was a mess. Her scales were dull, there were bags under her eyes, and her clothes were stained with sweat and spatters of dirty water from the leaking pipes. Alphys had only been the Royal Scientist for a couple of days—and she had hardly done any work yet—but already the stress of the job was manifest in her appearance. _I need a shower,_ Alphys thought, adjusting her crooked glasses, _and some sleep. Lots of sleep._

Not wanting to waste more time, Alphys walked over to one of the doors and cautiously turned the doorknob. She tried to make as little noise as possible in case—as ridiculous as it would have been—someone was hiding inside. She poked her head in, scanned her surroundings, and slipped into the room when she was certain the coast was clear.

Judging by the king-sized bed, she had entered Asgore's room. Alphys shambled to his desk, where a journal lay. It was open to a page that was blank aside from three words scrawled in large print at the top: _Nice day today!_ Using her hand to keep her place, Alphys flipped through the journal and found that all of the previous entries were equally concise. It didn't surprise her; Asgore hadn't struck her as a man of many words. She wished Asgore had recorded some information about the human, but he would not have had any reason to do so. Asgore was a father, not a scientist, and the human was not a specimen, but his child.

After looking through a couple of drawers and a wardrobe and finding nothing but clothing, Alphys returned to the hallway. The next door was locked and had a sign hanging over it that read "room under renovations". Alphys was able to enter the final room. Her expression drooped when she saw two twin beds lying across from each other and a box brimming with toys that had been played with for the last time long ago. It was depressing to look at, but Alphys knew that, if anywhere at all, this would be where she learned about the human.

She opted not to disturb the toy box, which was coated in a dusty film. In the back of the room was a set of shelves filled with children's books and more small toys. A stack of five VHS tapes had been shoved into the corner of one of the shelves. Alphys picked them up, finding they were all simply labeled "home movies". _There's bound to be some footage of the human in these._ Alphys doubted Asgore checked the children's room regularly, so he probably wouldn't notice if she borrowed them. She instinctively pulled out her phone to summon her Dimensional Box and groaned when she remembered it was dead. Alphys muttered, "Well, so much for tha—"

She went silent when she heard a door swing open on the other side of house, accompanied by humming and the rustling of plastic bags. _Oh no._ Alphys peered over her shoulder. She had left the door wide open. _Nononononono._ She stood frozen, her terror condensing into acceptance of her fate. She was doomed. Her position was going to be revoked after only two days. After everything she hadn't done, maybe it was for the best.

The humming and crinkling grew fainter, but Alphys's legs wouldn't move. Her hands were shaking and her claws were clicking against the VHS tapes. She could feel them slipping out of her grip. She wrestled them into her pockets instead of placing them back on the shelf, leaving a very conspicuous pair of rectangular bulges in her coat.

Alphys could no longer hear Asgore, but she sensed it still wasn't safe. She tiptoed across the minefield of creaky wooden floor panels and hovered by the door, debating whether she should close it and wait until she was positive Asgore was gone or risk sticking her head out and leaving if the king was not in sight. Alphys settled on the second option, not positive she would be able to hear Asgore's movements through a closed door.

She inhaled, exhaled, and leaned forward, bringing her pointy snout past the door frame. Alphys swept her gaze up and down, left and right. The hallway was empty, and so was the room beyond. Alphys held back a sigh of relief. After stepping into the hall, Alphys turned to shut the door behind her. She hurriedly brought the door toward her, stopping before it met the frame. Then, she pulled in the latch and made sure not to take her hand off the knob until the door was fully closed. Alphys wiped the sweat off her forehead and spun around, planning to retreat to the front door and pretend she had just walked in.

That was what she would have done if Asgore wasn't staring her down from the doorway to the dining room. Alphys didn't know how long he had been watching her fiddle with the door, but it had certainly been long enough. Alphys avoided looking at the king's face, not wanting to see his soft features contorted in outrage.

The voice that rang out was surprisingly temperate. "Dr. Alphys…? I was… I was not expecting to see you here."

Alphys lifted her gaze slightly, still not making eye contact. She tried to explain herself, but the words got caught in her throat. "I-I..." Alphys croaked. "I was look… looking for you." Finally, her eyes reached Asgore's face. He was not angry, but upset—and not just upset, but _hurt_. He made no effort to conceal his misty eyes and quivering lips. Alphys squeaked out one more word: "S-sorry."

Asgore regarded her for a long moment, and then closed his eyes and heaved his shoulders. It seemed like there were many things he wanted to say, but all he managed to utter was, "I see." Sympathizing with the guilt that had overtaken Alphys, he forced himself to smile, but the pain was still visible in his eyes. "You would not have found me there."

The tapes in Alphys's pockets suddenly weighed a thousand pounds. There was no way Asgore could tell what they were just by their shape, but after seeing his response to her entering the room, she felt horrible for having the audacity to steal from it. She couldn't imagine how he would react if he found out.

The voice in Alphys's head tried to console her. _But he hasn't found out, and he won't find out. There's no sense in worrying about something that will never happen._ It was the same message that had presented itself in her mind several times before; a message that had not failed her yet. All she needed to do was free herself from the emotional burdens that came with it.

Again, empathy stood in the way of her success. Even when she was outside of the laboratory, she needed to see people as machines: machines that she could manipulate any which way; machines she could repurpose to suit her needs; machines that were predictable and easy to operate. Machines that could malfunction disastrously in the event that she made one minute miscalculation. There was absolutely no room for failure.

"What is it that you need?" Asgore asked, his voice firm. "Wait. First, let us have a seat. You look tired." Alphys couldn't tell if he was being considerate or if he wanted to get away from his children's room—probably a combination of both. Asgore led her into the dining room. He reached for Toriel's old chair, only to stop and pull out one of the smaller chairs for Alphys instead. Embarrassed, the diminutive monster sat down. The king seated himself in the chair Alphys had been sitting in earlier. The table was covered in bags of groceries Asgore had yet to put away, which made it difficult for Alphys to see him.

"Now," said Asgore.

Alphys stammered, "I… I, uh, c-came here to… to… ask about the human souls? You see, uh… human souls are a lot d-different from monster souls. They have different c-compositions, or at least I th-think so. S-so I wanted to ask if I could… if I could—"

Alphys saw Asgore dip his horns over the tops of the grocery bags. "I expected it would come to this. Yes, I am willing to allow you to study the human souls, if that will bring us closer to the surface." The king's desperation overpowered any misgivings he might have had about Alphys. To see him so eager to hand over what he had worked so hard to obtain to someone undeserving of his trust just because she claimed to know what to do with them was disconcerting. As a king, he was supposed to be adamant and strong-willed—and yet there he was, giving in to what little hope he had.

"Thank you," Alphys breathed, shaken by how simple the exchange had been.

"I will be the one thanking you once we destroy the Barrier," Asgore said. "Me, and the entire underground as well."

 _Stop that,_ Alphys groaned in her head. She got the impression that Asgore was trying to dissuade her by targeting her inhibitions, questioning if she truly thought she was worthy of such an undertaking. But that was just her paranoia. Asgore was always forward and sincere; he would never play mind games like that. He was promising her the recognition she thought she wanted so badly, but didn't actually want at all.

"I cannot stress enough how precious those souls are. Surely you of all people are already well aware. I trust that you will handle them with utmost care. I do not want anything bad to happen to the souls, or you."

"I understand," said Alphys. Again, Asgore's wording made her anxious. She prayed her outward appearance wasn't mirroring the way she felt inside.

Asgore rose to his feet. "I will gather them for you. But first, let me put away these groceries. I do not want the ice cream to melt." Alphys waited as the king brought the bags into the kitchen and resumed his humming. A few moments later, he peered into the dining room and called, "Do you want anything, Dr. Alphys? I can fix you a snack if you would like."

He might have been stalling or trying to be polite, but it was more likely that he was just _lonely_. Alphys got the feeling that he didn't get visitors very often, so even someone who showed up uninvited would be treated like a welcome guest. Alphys wasn't sure why he and Toriel had split up, but she figured he would be better off with her around for company. But now that they weren't together anymore, Asgore was single. Was the reason he was being so nice to Alphys because he _liked_ her? Alphys wasn't much to look at, but she was smart. Maybe Asgore valued intelligence in his women. Still, the gorgeous, handsome, muscular king was way out of her league…

Alphys quickly looked away when she realized she had been staring. "Uh! No thanks, Mr. Dreamy—" Alphys nearly cursed out loud. "Ack! _Dreemurr_! Mr. Dreemurr!" She could feel sweat rolling down the back of her neck.

Asgore froze, blushing under his shaggy white fur. "O… okay," he said, retreating back into the kitchen. He didn't hum as he finished putting his groceries away. The silence was suffocating.

After several long minutes, Asgore stepped out of the kitchen. "There. I am done." He walked past the table and instructed, "Wait here," even though Alphys had been doing just that. He disappeared down the stairs and returned with the human souls, three cylinders in each arm. He set them on the table in front of Alphys.

Alphys examined the souls in disbelief. "You're g-giving me… _all_ of them? W-wouldn't one be enough…?"

Asgore hesitated, as if he hadn't thought that through. "They may have traits that make them different from one another. I thought it would be helpful if you worked with a large sample size. I do not mind letting you borrow them all."

"Oh, right. That makes sense. Thank you, Mr. Dreemurr." Alphys made sure not to misspeak this time.

Asgore glanced from Alphys to the souls. "Will you be able to carry them to the laboratory all right? Maybe it would be best if I gave you just one."

"Well, I'd be able to put them in my Dimensional Box, but my phone is, uh. Dead." Letting her phone run out of battery was continuing to trouble Alphys in unexpected ways.

"Oh. I have some outlets you can use if you have your charger with you," Asgore offered, pointing them out to her.

"I might have it. Let me see..." Alphys stuck her hands in her pockets, only to remember what she was hiding inside. With Asgore watching her every move, she tactfully slid her fingers past the tapes and felt out her phone and the thin cord of her charger. She pulled them out, almost dragging one of the tapes along with them. "Here we are." She held up the phone and charger to distract Asgore as she stuffed the VHS back in.

Alphys plugged her phone into the outlet Asgore had shown her. "It'll, uh, take a few hours to fully charge. I don't have to fully charge it, though. Halfway should be fine."

"Take as much time as you need," said Asgore. "If you need me, I will be in the kitchen."

"Mhm," Alphys mumbled, returning to her seat at the table. Her eyelids drooped as she watched the colorful souls bob up and down in their containers, pulsating like the hearts they took the shape of. They really did seem alive. There was something soothing about their rhythmic motions, and Alphys could feel her exhaustion catching up to her. She folded her arms on the table and set her head down, basking in the light of the human souls as she drifted to sleep.

...

Alphys woke to find that a blanket had been placed over her. She relished the act of kindness as she recovered from her sleepy haze, but when she registered where she was, she threw the blanket off and rushed to check her pockets. The five tapes were still there, untouched. Asgore would never rifle through someone's things when they were most vulnerable—that was something only Alphys would do.

She got up and squinted at her phone. It was fully charged. How long had she been sleeping? Alphys unplugged her phone and opened her Dimensional Box. Making sure Asgore wasn't in sight, she unloaded her pockets into the Box. _Oh yeah!_ Remembering she had wanted to show them to Asgore, Alphys reached in and withdrew the blueprints.

She faced the kitchen. "Mr. Dreemurr?" She was answered by footsteps from down the hall. Asgore ambled into the dining room, rubbing his eyes. "Good morning, Dr. Alphys. Did you sleep well?"

Alphys had already planned out what she wanted to say in her head, and she didn't let Asgore's question distract her. She unfolded the blueprints and held them up for him to see. "I found these blueprints in the basement of the laboratory. I think the former Royal Scientist left them behind. Do you recognize them at all?"

Asgore examined the schemes. For a moment, it looked like something was coming back to him. Then, his stare hardened and fixed itself to the soul shape in the center of the diagram. He shook his head. "No. I have never seen these before. Do you know what they are for?"

His response made Alphys wish she had claimed to have drafted the blueprints herself. That certainly would have impressed Asgore. Then again, she hadn't figured out what the machine did yet, and she didn't want to risk lying about its specific purpose. "I think it does something with souls." She tapped the diagram with her claw, even though she knew Asgore was already looking at it. "I'm interested in… comparing our findings. I might be able to build off of the old scientist's research."

"Excellent," Asgore said. He shifted his gaze to the canisters on the table, which Alphys took as a cue to begin depositing them inside her Dimensional Box. She used both hands to pick up the containers, handling them with the same amount of care one would use while holding an infant.

Asgore was pleased by that. "I understand you are eager to get to work, but I could prepare you some breakfast before you go. Some toast, perhaps? Oh, and I just bought a fresh carton of eggs..."

"No thanks." Alphys was starting to feel bad about rejecting his hospitality, but after so many close calls, she couldn't bear to stay for one more stressful, awkward minute. "B-but I really appreciate y-your offer."

The king nodded without saying anything. He stood by the door and waved as she left. "I wish you luck. Take care."

"You too," Alphys murmured in a voice too quiet for him to hear. She set off on her way, confident enough in her battery life and her ability to find her way back to take the shortcut through the true laboratory. As she took the elevator to the upper level of her lab, she anticipated the relief of finally returning home—but the place still didn't feel like home. Even after walking by the confetti Mettaton had spilled all over the ground and the computer she'd used to watch anime and play video games, Alphys couldn't think of the building as anything other than her workplace. There was no escape from the duties of a Royal Scientist.

Alphys cracked open a can of soda and settled into her chair, mentally sorting all the tasks she would have to complete. She would have to clean out the basement in order to take full advantage of the facility, and perhaps she would uncover some more materials along the way. She needed to look over the blueprints and construct the machine, which would likely allow her to study the human souls. Both of those things would require a lot of time and resources, and Alphys didn't know if she was ready to commit to something like that quite yet. She still had some things to organize around the house, and she had yet to look through the old scientist's computer. Lastly, there were the family videos Alphys had so carefully stolen from under Asgore's nose. Alphys naturally went with the option that required the smallest amount of effort.

She popped the first tape into her computer's built-in VCR. The video was dark and fuzzy, but the audio was crystal clear. It was only a few minutes long and consisted entirely of Toriel making cheesy mom puns and Asgore sounding tired. Alphys sighed and put in the next tape.

Again, the video was black. The voice of a little boy sounded. "Okay, Chara, are you ready? Do your creepy face!" It must have been Asriel, which made Chara the human child.

Asriel let out a scream, which was followed by giggling. Then, something smacked against the camera. "Oh! Wait! I had the lens cap on..." grumbled Asriel. "What!? You're not gonna do it again…? Come on, quit tricking me!"

As Alphys inserted the next tape, she wondered why she had wanted to see them so badly. They were just home movies—if one could even call them "movies"—and watching them made Alphys feel as though she was intruding upon Asgore's personal life. She felt even worse for taking them.

Alphys was not surprised to find that, yet again, there was no video. Asriel spoke again. "Howdy, Chara! Smile for the camera!" There was a pause, and then laughter. "Ha, this time I got YOU! I left the cap on… ON PURPOSE! Now you're smiling for nooooo reason! Hee hee hee!"

Someone else spoke, but it was too muffled and quiet for Alphys to hear. She cranked up the volume and leaned in, but she still couldn't make out what they were saying. Alphys knocked her soda over and scrambled to turn down the volume when Asriel's voice blared on the speakers. "What? Oh, yeah, I remember. When we tried to make butterscotch pie for Dad, right? The recipe asked for cups of butter… But we accidentally put in buttercups instead."

He continued, "Yeah! Those flowers got him really sick. I felt so bad. We made Mom really upset. I should have laughed it off, like you did..." At this point, Asriel sounded very uncomfortable. "Um, anyway, where are you going with this?" _Thud._ "Huh? Turn off the camera? Okay."

Alphys shared Asriel's discomfort. It was an awfully strange story to recall for no apparent reason, especially considering Asriel's reluctance to talk about it and the way he described Chara's reaction compared to his own. Even though they couldn't be seen or heard, the human child gave off sinister vibes.

The next tape started with Asriel sounding even more uneasy. "I… I don't like this idea, Chara." There was a short pause. "Wh.. what? N-no, I'm not..." Asriel stifled a sob. "… Big kids don't cry. Yeah, you're right." Pause. "No! I'd never doubt you, Chara! … Never!" Another pause. "Y-yeah! We'll be strong! We'll free everyone. I'll go get the flowers."

When the tape ended, Alphys mouthed the words, "Oh my god." She dwelt on Asriel's last few words, thinking back to the previous tape. "Are they… the flowers that made Asgore sick… there's no way..." She wanted to believe she was jumping to conclusions, but the final tape confirmed her suspicions.

It was Toriel who spoke first. "Chara… Can you hear me? We want you to wake up..."

Asgore's voice was wrought with urgency. "Chara! You have to stay determined! You can't give up… You are the future of humans and monsters..."

There were some shuffling noises, and then Asriel whispered, "Psst… Chara… Please… wake up…" He sniffled. "I don't like this plan anymore. I… I…" Asriel took a deep breath. "… No, I said… I said I'd never doubt you. Six, right? We just have to get six… And we'll do it together, right?"

Alphys was shaking. Asriel had been killed when he crossed the Barrier after absorbing the soul of the human child, who had passed away after falling ill. The tapes implied that Chara had _deliberately_ become sick. Seven human souls would be needed to shatter the Barrier. With Chara's soul, they would need six. Chara had wanted Asriel to use the power of their soul to enter the surface and harvest the remaining six human souls. They had been planning to destroy the Barrier and free the monsters—the same thing Asgore had hired Alphys to accomplish.

Chara's idea had been destined for failure. Humans were immensely more powerful than monsters, so it would be foolish for a monster—even one who had absorbed a human soul—to set foot in their world. But Asriel and Chara had only been children; they hadn't known better. It still greatly disturbed Alphys that Chara had been willing to sacrifice their own life in order to follow through with their own ill-conceived plan.

Now Alphys knew why Asgore was so desperate to break through the Barrier: he wanted to avenge his children by finishing what they had died trying to achieve. But judging by the tapes, Asgore wasn't aware of their intentions; it had been a secret between Chara and Asriel. It was more likely that eliminating the Barrier had always been Asgore's goal, and the children had wanted to help him.

 _I can't let Asgore see these,_ Alphys thought as she piled the tapes up. _It would be too much for him to take._ She decided she would hide them somewhere no one would ever find them, but first, she recorded an entry.

 **ENTRY NUMBER 4  
** _I've been researching humans to see if I can find any info about their SOULs.  
I ended up snooping around the castle… And found these weird tapes.  
I don't feel like ASGORE's watched them…  
I don't think he should._

Alphys didn't intend on sharing her entries with anyone. They would be kept secret from everyone but herself, like the truths behind the lies she was trying to uphold—and the real reason Chara and Asriel had died. Now that the human souls were in Alphys's possession, she had everything she needed to begin her research. Filled with newly found resolve, Alphys declared, "I'll do it. Against all odds, I'll destroy the Barrier. For Asgore… for Asriel and Chara… for all the monsters in the underground. I will find a way."

But most of all, she was doing it for herself.


End file.
